Our men's spectator dance shoes feature Aris Allen Raw Leather Soles which allow you to sping and slide, but still have control the dancefloor.

The leather heel features stacked rubber between the vamp (upper) and the sole for extra shock absorption.

Our men's black and white spectator dance shoes are an exact reproduction of an authentic 1930s swing era dress shoe. These classic dance shoes are full of style and can be used as a typical dress shoe or dance shoes.

Our Aris Allen men's spectator swing & ballroom dance shoes are designed for the intermediate / advanced dancer - but they're also great as a second pair for beginners... the ''fastness'' of the sole forces you to ''find your center'' immediately.

A note about ''Balmoral'' construction: These are traditional wingtips so they are constructed in the Balmoral style with stitching across the ball of the foot (at the bottom of the laces) and cannot be loosened or tightened at that point the way a shoe constructed in the ''Blucher'' style can. So these are not a great idea for anyone with very wide or narrow feet. Our Captoes do not have this construction and so are better suited for a wider variety of foot widths.

CONSTRUCTION:A note about our Aris Allen men's spectator swing & ballroom dance shoes -These shoes are absolutely 100% Handmade. The cutting of the leather is done by hand - not stamped out, the glue is put on with a brush, not a machine, the sewing, while done with a sewing machine, is done one at a time. You can even see the occasional pencil mark!

This means that the shoe on your foot is the product of a craftsman who sees the shoe from start to finish. This also explains why you will find the occasional imperfection. These are not stamped out, they are made just a few at a time.

SPECS:These are great Swing & Ballroom dance shoes because of the slideable sole and heel, and the comfort you need in a shoe that's going to be on the hardwood all night.

The footbed is lined with foam so it's much more comfortable than many ordinary dress shoes.

The Aris Allen Raw Leather Sole is made from flexible hard leather that gets ''faster'' over time by repeatedly absorbing the natural humidity in the air (especially at a dance) and drying. Aris Allen's philosophy is that your dancing will look more authentic if you wear the same shoes the dance was invented in.

Our Aris Allen Raw Sole is either sanded or varnished and after a few hours of wear they become ''raw'' on the bottom and perform a lot like Chrome Leather (suede) which allows you to spin and slide, and still control the floor.

If you find the sole has picked up dirt from the floor and is slowing down, just shuffle your feet on the sidewalk once or twice to refresh it.